2009 Nationals, Day 4

[Alex_Moiseyev]

John, I decided to save your time and opened a new topic. Any news ?

AM

[rich beckwith]

Brief update and Standings after 4 days (2 rounds left tomorrow).

Joe Schwartz -28
Jim Morrison - 28
Richard Beckwith - 27
Richard Hallett - 27
John Webster - 27
Jack Francis - 26
Larry Keen - 25
Carl Reno - 23
Earl Morrison - 23
Anthony Bishop - 23
Tim Laverty - 23
Alan Millhone - 21
Larry Pollard -15
John Acker - 14
Ron Bailey - 11

Not sure if John will post more later....Albert Tucker and Willis Schewcraft lead the Majors & minors.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Rich, you are close I wish you good luck tomorrow ! You need to win a tournament in order to achive an extra grandmaster norm and get a title. I know you will do it some day, why not now ?

Regards,

Alex

[Michael Holmes]

Alex, Dr. Beckwith already has the GM title!
No doubt because he is!

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Michael, if you are right, this is certainly great news, but ... are you sure ? To get GM title you have to win 2 major eventsand your WCDF rating must be 2500 or close. I know that about 12-18 months ago Richard had only one norm. Perhaps I missed something.

Anyway, If Richard gets GM title, I want to congratulate him - he deserved to have it.

If he've got GM title - why we didn't see anything in ACFB or other checkers media, email, Internet sites ???

My understanding was that the last player who achieved GM title was Lubabalo Kondlo. Michael, I'll be very glad to learn that I'm wrong and you are right.

[Ingo_Zachos]

Alex, you forgot that Ruchard finished 2nd at the last QT in Las Vegas.
Technically, this is a 2nd GM-Norm.
The winning of a QT is also another possibity to gain the GM title, but it requires at least 10 players and a number of players above 2400.
Kondlo won his GM title that way in 2007.
The title does not depend upon having a certain rating, but more on fulfilling two norm within 5 years. Though we initially proposed that a candiadte should have at least 2400, and Richard passed that mark at least once.
An exception was made for the WMSG in Beijing, as we considered a top 10 placing as adequate to win the GM title.
Paegle and Faleo became GM's that way.
This waas an execption due to the unique charakter of this event.
Shane McCosker already made two GM-norms before that if my memory doesn't fail me and also obtained the title.
The next rating report will contain a complete list of title holders and another list with players that have only made one norm so far.
Also GM certificates should be available at the end of this year.

Greetinx from Dortmund,

Ingo Zachos

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Ingo, thanks for clarification. I am waiting now my certificate

I am also glad to hear that Dr. Richard Beckwith and Shane McCoskey achieved GM titles along with Paegle and Faleo - my hot congratulations to all of them.

What can be improve here in my eyes - pay more public attention to this fact, make official announcement, awarding (in National Federations), etc Yet, only small number of people (16 I assume ?) hold this title and any newcomer to "GM Club" and any new name on this list is always very exciting and exceptional moment.

When I've got first time GM title after winning USA Open 10x10 in 1996, and gets Diploma - I was on the heaven because it was logical continuation and step forward in my checkers career.

BTW. Important question - does WCDF reports all new GM title holder names to FMJD and does FMJD recognise these titles ? Personally, I would like to have certificate/diploma from FMJD as well as from WCDF.

BTW2. Why heck I and all other members of fraternity should learn all such news occasionly and incidentally on this forum ??????? Can WCDF post most important official news in ACFB and EDA / MCA / NWDF Newsletters ?

Regards,

A. Moiseyev

[Michael Holmes]

Alex, if you go to the wcdf website and download the ratings it shows the four available with 2009 the latest. It is here that I saw Dr. Beckwith as a GM for the first time. Yes, I have known for quite some time and I thought everyone knew of this fact.

My question: Do these state tournaments count for norms? I am eager to see the results of this next wcdf rating and how it reflects my performance from this year. If the norm timeline is indeed 5 years instead of four years will my Barbados and TN accomplisments earn me a GM title?

Either way, next year when I can play in more nationals (more than just USA's) I should be able to earn GM title.

Well, this year I am getting married so my time is better spent this year doing better things!

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Alex, if you go to the wcdf website

Yes, you right. Someone told me about new WCDF ratings in the beginning of this year, and even a very funny fact that I became #1 on the list. However, every time when I checked WCDF website - it had an old Rating list for January 2008. Last time I did this in June. Perhaps since then they upgraded website.

However my statement about official announcement, rewarding, recognitions remains unchanged. Think about - someone received GM title, which doesn't happened very often, actually - once in life time. And everything happened - after many months this information is stored (hiding) somewhere on rating list in Internet, thats all. Ridiculous ... absurd

My question: Do these state tournaments count for norms? I am eager to see the results of this next wcdf rating and how it reflects my performance from this year. If the norm timeline is indeed 5 years instead of four years will my Barbados and TN accomplisments earn me a GM title?

Yea... my performance in the beginiing of 2009 was quite questionable and I may go back again to 2nd position on rating list if I don't do well enough in the upcoming 3-moves WCM. For you 2009 was very good year and you should certainly improve your rating.

Either way, next year when I can play in more nationals (more than just USA's) I should be able to earn GM title.

Good luck, I have very small doubts that you can do it soon and joint GM club.

Well, this year I am getting married so my time is better spent this year doing better things!

Huh ... you are OK in both ! I've got my late daughter when I was 40, you have everything ahead, boy !

At the end, just for fun, I would like to share with forum readers some funny ionformation ...

According WCDF rating list ...

29. John Webster, 2377
30. Jim Morrision, 2375 (ha-ha-ha !!!)
34. Joe Schwartz, 2370
35. Richard Beckwith, 2368 (ha-ha-ha !!!)
37. Michael Holmes, 2362

Regards,

Alex

[Michael Holmes]

Alex,, the front page of the wcdf rating does have the old one listed but if you click on download ratings you can see all four-including the 2009 list. Maybe they will update the front page soon.

[Michael Holmes]

Yes, my performance this year is a good one yet every year it has been a good one. I have won a tournament every year and I place very high(well-in most of them) in the ones I dont win. I came in 2nd last year in the TN but 1st this year. What changed? Is it because you played in it this year but you did not play in it last year or it could be because I beat Dr. Webster this year and he beat me last year. Either way, I appreciate the compliements you gave me when the three of us (Alan and us) were out to dinner. I am continuing to improve my endgame play by studying everyday (in Novemeber I will take a week off).

[liam stephens]

Seems to me the ratings quoted in posting above predicted with amazing accuracy the actual placings in the Tournament !



Ratings/ Results of US Nat Ty 2009

30. Jim Morrision, 2375 1. Jim Morrison – 34 (356)
34. Joe Schwartz, 2370 2. Joe Schwartz -34 (349)
35. Richard Beckwith, 2368 3. Richard Beckwith – 34 (314)

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Is it because you played in it this year but you did not play in it last year

Yes, I think so. My rating is usually 200-300 points above average rating in any state ty and my participation raise average tournament rating and help players to improve their rating.

In order to prove my rating I have to win almost all games. Sometimes this happened, sometime - doesn't happen.

This is a small moral compensation for me because I know that everything I lose in points goes to American players.

Regards,

Alex